Local legislators get committee assignments

RALEIGH — The members of Robeson County’s five-member delegation to the state General Assembly have been appointed to various committees and commissions.

Sen. Danny Britt Jr., a Republican from Lumberton who represents Robeson and Columbus counties, has been named to the following joint House/Senate panels: Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee, Emergency Management Oversight Committee, and the Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety. Britt also has been named a member of the North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission.

“I am honored to be appointed to these committees/commissions,” Britt said in a statement. “This will allow me to continue to serve the people of North Carolina when we are not in Raleigh on a regular basis by being active in legislative discussions during the interim meetings. It is the work of committees and commissions that resolves issues and gathers facts that are brought before the full body of the House and Senate during regular sessions that affects the laws of new and current legislation.”

Rep. Garland Pierce, a Democrat from Wagram and the delegation’s senior member, was reappointed by House Speaker Tim Moore to serve on the Joint Legislative Emergency Management Oversight Committee. The committee examines on a continuing basis issues related to emergency management in North Carolina in order to make ongoing recommendations to the General Assembly on ways to promote effective emergency preparedness management response and recovery.

“I am excited to have been reappointed to serve on the committee again,” Pierce said in a statement. “The committee is very important because it helps us to get the necessary information out to the people who will be affected by the emergencies.”

Rep. Ken Goodman, a Democrat from Richmond County who until new district maps are drawn represents Robeson County, was named to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Capital Improvements; the Joint Legislative Administrative Procedure Oversight Committee; the House Select Committee on Judicial Redistricting; Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations; the House Select Committee on Strategic Transportation Planning and Long Term Funding Solutions; and the Joint Legislative Economic Development and Global Engagement Oversight Committee.

“All of these committees will play a major public policy role in the 12 months,” Goodman said in a statement.

Rep. Charles Graham, a Democrat from Lumberton, was appointed by Speaker Tim Moore to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety.

Graham said that the Transportation Oversight Committee will give him an opportunity to look at the general transportation needs across the state. The Committee on Justice and Public Safety will give him a chance to study and evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of public safety programs and agencies, he said.

“I’m very pleased to be working for the people of Robeson County,” said Graham.

Rep. Brenden Jones, a Republican from Tabor City, was appointed by Moore to the Emergency Management Oversight Committee.

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with my colleagues on this important committee and assist in any way that I can,” Jones said in a statement. “After the devastating effects of Hurricane Matthew, I feel I will be able to provide a great deal of knowledge on this subject.”